Blood Is Always Thicker
by Sapphire Smoke
Summary: •Alternate Universe• What happens when Narcissa chooses her blood over her marriage? •Post DH, sister!fic/not blackcest •
1. The Family Battle

**AU:** Bellatrix never dies during the battle at Hogwarts. Because I say so . 

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything Harry Potter related and never will.

CHAPTER ONE

**The Family Battle**

Bellatrix watched as the pale form of her master's body fell to the ground. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. The soft thud of his lifeless form landing on the cold hollow ground, the slight sway of his robes as he lay there motionless, and the boy, the filthy half-blood, catching Voldemort's wand with his unworthy hands.

"NO!!" She shrieked, and threw one last curse at Mrs Weasley, stunning her, before turning on Harry and pointing her wand at him in fury.

"Bella no!" Narcissa yelled and grabbed Bellatrix's arm. Bellatrix struggled against her sister, her eyes black with rage, her face etched in fury like she'd never felt before.

"Let me go, Cissy! He's MINE!" But Narcissa refused to let go of her. Knowing the danger she was in, that they were all in, she started to pull her sister back, running towards the Forbidden Forest.

"LET GO OF ME!!" Bellatrix screamed after she shot out a curse in Harry's direction but missing him because of the way she was being pulled back. Curses flew from her wand and Aurors chased them through the thick trees of the forest until Narcissa stopped and disapparated, taking a screaming, protesting Bellatrix with her.

Bellatrix barely registered what had happened. She was caught in a fit of grief and rage, and she pulled her arm roughly from her sister's grasp. Her eyes could barely see the walls around her, though she knew she was in a room. The distinct smell of mold invaded her nose and she could only guess she was in some sort of cellar.

"Bella please listen to me!" Narcissa pleased, her hand reaching for her sisters. "I have to go back, I have to get Draco! Stay here, promise me!"

Bellatrix wrenched her hand out of her grasp and screamed a sound full of pain and fury. Her hair was straggled all around her face and she looked between wanting to cry and wanting to kill.

"He... killed... my... my _lord..._" she breathed, furious, her fists clenching and unclenching around her wand. "HE MUST PAY!" she shrieked, and a lightning bolt left her wand and with a crack made a scorch mark on the ground beneath them.

Narcissa put her hand on her sisters arms, to half comfort and to half hold her. Bellatrix was shaking with rage, and stared at the dusty window not far from them, trying to will herself to shatter it with her eyes.

"Bella look at me," Narcissa pleaded. Bellatrix either did not hear her or refused to do so. "Look at me!" Narcissa shrieked, causing Bellatrix to jump slightly, but only due to the shock that she hadn't heard her sister speak to her in that way for a long time. Bellatrix looked at her, eyes dancing with unresolved fury.

"We will," Narcissa said softly, "We will make Potter pay. But please, if you go back you'll be thrown back into Azkaban. Please stay here, Bella. I'll come back, I promise."

Bellatrix's shaking subsided, but she still looked slightly mad. Her eyes took in every part of the room she could, as the adjusted to the darkness. She was in the Malfoy's basement.

"Fine," she said, shortly and abruptly. "Get your son. But we go after Potter as soon as you get back."

Narcissa let go of Bellatrix and nodded, "Of course." With that, she was gone.

An hour passed, maybe two before all three Malfoy's arrived back at the Manor. They were greeted with the form of a dark woman, sitting in front of their massive fireplace, the light reflecting off of what could only be the remaining wetness from the tears she had shed during her grief and anger. She did not speak and she did not look at them. She just started at the flickering flames in front of her.

Narcissa motioned to her husband and son to leave them, silently. Lucius took Draco by the shoulder and steered him out of the room, leaving the two sisters alone.

Narcissa moved quietly over to where Bellatrix was sitting, though stopped a few feet before. "Bella?" She asked, tentatively.

She did not speak, and she did not move. "Bella?" Narcissa tried again. "Bella we're back.."

Bellatrix continued to start into the fire and answered in such a low voice that Narcissa had to strain to hear her, "He will die."

Narcissa didn't speak, but came closer to her darkest sibling. Her blonde hair hung in her face and she made no effort to remove it. "He will, Bella, but not today. Not now."

Bellatrix turned so fast towards her sister it made Narcissa flinch back a little in surprise. Bellatrix's eyes looked like fire, and Narcissa couldn't tell if it was from the fire next to her or because of her anger. "What do you mean, 'Not Now', Narcissa?"

The use of her full name was barely ever used by her sister. She knew Bellatrix must be extremely angry, so angry she passed the point of her insanity and rage and went onto calm madness.

Narcissa did not move away, but locked onto the dark eyes staring back at her and said calmly. "The Ministry is rounding up Death Eaters on the scene. We barely made it back. We have to lay low for awhile, Bella."

Bellatrix instantly pointed her wand at a long marble beam in the living room and it shattered, making Narcissa jump up and away from Bellatrix as she tried to shield herself from the falling marble.

"Lay low?" Repeated Bellatrix, in a madly calming voice. "Lay low? What are you? A coward? My own sister..." she pointed her wand at the fallen pieces of stone and cast them out the window, shattering that as well. She turned to look at Narcissa, "No sister of mine is a coward."

The words stung Narcissa more than any blow ever could. She stared into Bellatrix's eyes and whispered, "I am no coward."

Bellatrix laughed and stood up to be the same height as her sister. "Not cowardly then, when you lied to... him.." she could not bear to speak his name. "Told him the Potter boy was dead, so that you could save your precious little son?" She stepped closer to Narcissa, rage boiling in the pit of her stomach.

Narcissa took a step back and whispered, "No.. I didn't... that's not why..."

But Bellatrix wasn't listening. "Not cowardly then, when you fled from the battle, taking ME with you?" She stepped closed once more and Narcissa stepped back a couple steps and her back pressed against the far wall.

Bellatrix continued to advance on her, "Me, who would have gladly died defending him then flee with you?!"

"You WOULD have died!" Narcissa shrieked in desperation.

Bellatrix laughed, her black hair looking more tinted with silver gray then ever, "You don't get it, Cissy! I would have rather died there! AND YOU TOOK ME AWAY!" Her eyes were red with grief and anger and she launched at her sister, her wand pointed at Narcissa's throat.

Narcissa's eyes were wide with fear and her heart seemed to have leapt into her throat, "Bella please..."

"_Bella please..."_ Bellatrix mocked with a laugh. "You were never faithful to the Dark Lord! You were content when it didn't interrupt with your picture perfect life. But as soon as you find your son in danger, you betrayed him at the drop of a hat! You betrayed ME at the drop of a hat..." Her wand touched the skin on Narcissa's throat and she gasped like it burned her.

"No Bella, I didn't betray you.. I'm sorry... Bellatrix I'm sorry... I'm your sister..." Narcissa's eyes were watering with tears and as the first one fell down her cheek it was like something slapped Bellatrix in the face. She stared at Narcissa, and then at her wand, and then it slipped slowly from her fingertips just as she was blasted backwards and into a stone wall, cracking it.

"Don't touch my wife!" She heard Lucius yell, though it seemed in the distance somewhere. She heard heavy footsteps coming over to her, standing over her.

"Lucius no!" Narcissa screamed and ran to her sister's side, covering Bellatrix's body with her own.

"Move Narcissa, your deranged sister almost murdered you, and your _protecting_ her? Move!"

"No! She dropped her wand before you hit her Lucius! Leave her be she's in pain cant you see that?!" Bellatrix could feel the drops of her sisters tears on her own flesh and she stirred and opened her eyes, though everything seemed to be swimming. There was something wet on the back of her head, in her hair...

There was a long silence when nobody spoke. Bellatrix could only assume the couple was having a battle of wills. After a few moments it was Lucius who spoke. "Fine. But she does not stay here. I want her no where near my son. Take her away." He paused and added in a low voice, "And you'd do good to stay with her as well. For awhile anyway."

"Lucius!"

"I have made my decision, Narcissa!" Lucius hollered back at his wife. "You can come back when you put our safety above your insane sister."

Bellatrix's vision was starting to clear and she could make out Lucius' retreating form, his long black cloak following in his wake. His last words were almost a whisper, "Leave now, Narcissa." And then he was gone.

Bellatrix tried to get up as she heard her sisters sobbing becoming significantly louder. Narcissa stood up and crossed the room to retrieve Bellatrix's wand. Bellatrix's muscles seemed not to be working and all she could do was lay there, her face against the cold floor and a puddle of blood creeping around her head.

Narcissa crossed back across the room knelt down next to her older sibling. She touched her face lightly and brushed her dark blood coated hair away from her face. She sighed as tears rolled down her cheeks and she grabbed her sisters hand and disapparated.

(( TBC? Maybe? Possibly? I demand reviews! Hehe ))


	2. The Not So Safe Haven

Disclaimer in Chapter One.

CHAPTER TWO

**The Not-So-Safe Haven**

Bellatrix awoke to the sound of the crickets and a splitting headache. She tried to sit up off the grass but she grunted in pain as the back of her head seared and she fell back onto the cold ground.

"Don't try to move, Bella," Narcissa said, her soft voice breaking through the pain in Bellatrix's head. Bellatrix felt a soft hand against she cheek as her head was lifted up slightly to be placed on her sister's lap. "I've mended the gash in the back of your head but you still lost a lot of blood."

All Bellatrix could do for a moment was do as her sister said. She was so going to murder Lucius for this one, she thought to herself. After a short while she gathered the strength to ask, "Where are we?"

There was a pause before Narcissa spoke, "Outside of Severus's house. I wanted to..."

But she was cut off by her sister wrenching herself up off her lap and yelling, "Snape?!" Before screaming in pain and crumbling back onto Narcissa's lap, holding her head in agony.

"...See if that was okay before we went in," Narcissa finished with a sigh. "I told you to lie still."

"The filthy half-blood traitor! I wish I could have tore out his lying tongue! I wish I could have cut of his—"

"Bella!" Narcissa interrupted, placing her hand on Bellatrix's head to keep her still. "Please, relax."

"Relax?! He was the biggest traitor to the Dark Lord there ever was!" She tried to sit up but with being in a weakened condition and having Narcissa's hand to keep her still, she couldn't move.

"Well do you have anywhere better we could go?" Narcissa countered.

Bellatrix fell silent and Narcissa took it as a sign of having no more arguments for the time being. Narcissa picked up her wand and placed Bellatrix's head gently back on the grass as she started to get up. "Severus is dead, we'll be safe here for awhile. I doubt the Ministry will come back here this soon." She knelt down next to her sister and asked gently, "If you move slowly, do you think you can get up?"

Bellatrix grunted and put her weight on her hands muttering, "I think so." Narcissa tried to hold out her hand to help Bellatrix rose, but being stubborn she ignored it, and it took all of her strength to push herself off of the ground. But as she rose to full height she became light headed and was about to fall back before Narcissa caught her.

"Let me help you," Narcissa said, slightly pleading.

Bellatrix didn't answer, just had a look of pure annoyance plastered on her beautiful but hollowed features. She did, however, let her sister help her into Snape's house.

The door creaked open as the two sisters stepped inside, Bellatrix leaning heavily on Narcissa. The place was dark and dusty, and smelled slightly of rat. Though, with Wormtail staying there prior, it wasn't much of a surprise.

Narcissa helped Bellatrix over to the couch and she collapsed onto it, breathing heavily. Narcissa sat opposite of her and looked down, silently. There was a long period where nothing was heard except the creak of the window which swayed slightly with the chilly breeze outside.

Finally Bellatrix sat herself up on the couch and peered at her sister, who hadn't moved since sitting down. Her long blond hair was covering her face and her delicate fingers twirled her wand as she stared at it.

"Why?" Bellatrix demanded softly.

Narcissa looked up, her hair tumbling around her face like streaks of brilliant silver. "Why what?" she asked.

Bellatrix pushed back her still blood matted dark locks out of her face and asked again, "Why... everything?" It wasn't like Bellatrix to be this soft and curious. But with the days events she was worn out, beat up, and felt plain defeated.

Narcissa hesitated for a minute, deciding how to answer the question. Finally she looked into Bellatrix's eyes and said honestly, "Because you're my big sister. You're my blood." There was a pause, "You're my hero."

Bellatrix found herself at loss of words for what seemed to be the first time in probably forty years. She looked at the woman across from her and after awhile asked, "How can I be your hero, Cissy?" A question that she never thought she would have to ask in her life. A question, she thought, had to answer. They both clearly have wanted different things from the beginning

Narcissa got up and crossed the distance between them to sit down next to her on the couch. She touched Bellatrix's hand and said, "Because you've never been afraid of anything and you've always been so sure in the path you chose in life." Narcissa signed and looked away for a moment before adding, "I wish I was as sure."

Nothing more was said that night. Bellatrix didn't know how to answer so she just stayed silent. The two sisters ended up drifting asleep next to each other on the small couch, the light and dark hair mixing together like they were never meant to be apart, and the sound of the creaking window being silences as they fell into peaceful unconsciousness.

Bellatrix awoke from the sound of a tea kettle whistling. She yawned and grunted as she sat up on the couch, her head now just a dull annoying pain in the back of her skull. Her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight streaming through the window and she saw Narcissa in the kitchen, leaning against the counter top as the eggs and bacon cooked themselves in the skillet. Narcissa smiled as she saw her sister rise, "Morning."

Bellatrix mumbled something inaudible as a reply and rubbed her eyes. She had never been much of a morning person. She went to push her hair off her face only to find some of it had stuck to her face. She cursed under her breath and tried to pry it from her pale skin.

"Go wash up," Narcissa said. "When you come back you can have some breakfast."

Bellatrix didn't say anything, but stumbled off towards the washroom, still cursing. Narcissa was four years younger than Bellatrix, but during times like these she felt like the older one. Her sister had always been slightly imbalanced, and her parents never seemed to notice. Probably because most of the Black family was a little deranged. But their other sister Andromeda, who was two years older than Narcissa , never got along with Bellatrix, and therefore never seemed to care about her well being at all. It was always Narcissa who cared for her, and in turn Bellatrix always looked out for Narcissa, especially when they were children. When the kids picked on Narcissa, Bellatrix would somehow always be there to storm in and hex them so bad even Madame Pomfrey had a problem fixing their face. After school, Andromeda married a muggle and was disowned, and that was the last either of them saw her. They are the last of each other's family, and Narcissa wouldn't even let Lucius take that away from her.

When Bellatrix got out of the shower she threw her wet hair up in some futile attempt to tame it and looked at her reflection in the dusty mirror. She had a large cut above her right eye and some visible bruising forming on her left shoulder. For the first time since escaping Azkaban she realized how much she had changed. Once she was considered beautiful. Now, her face had seem to hollow out and she cheek bones were plainly visible. She had dark circles around her eyes that gave a slight impression of walking death. She stared at her own reflection in disgust. She was once somebody, the best female lieutenant the Dark Lord ever had. Now... she was nothing.

She reeled back her arm and balled her fist before putting it through the glass as she screaming in anger, "Nothing!"

The shards of glass fell to the ground as Narcissa flew open the bathroom door instantly to see what was wrong, "Bella?" Seeing her sister with a bloody fist and the broken mirror around her feet she rushed over, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around Bellatrix's naked form, hugging her. "Come here," she said as she led Bellatrix back over to the living room. Using her wand she healed Bellatrix's wounds again and then washed off all the excess blood.

Bellatrix didn't speak, but the anger and self disgust still swam in her eyes as she made her way back over to the kitchen. "Get dressed Bella, " she said. She knew even if she asked what was wrong she wouldn't be told. Bellatrix didn't share her feelings, unless they're of hate.

Narcissa didn't look back from her cooking but heard the couch creak as Bellatrix rose to put on some clothes. She grabbed the skillet of bacon and proceeded to put the slices of meat on plates as the eggs did so of their own accord. Once she had the two plates of food on the table Bellatrix made her entrance, dressed in her usual black tattered dress. She sat at the table without a word and Began eating in silence.

Narcissa sat across from her sister in equal silence. She knew there was something bothering Bellatrix, but wasn't such a fool to inquire about it. She tried a different approach however because didn't feel like sitting there in silence. "I'm sorry you thought I betrayed you, Bella."

Bellatrix looked from her eggs and both pairs of dark eyes met. There was silence for a moment. Narcissa decided she completely used a bad approach and tried to back out of it, "Nevermind, I–"

"Shut up!" Hissed Bellatrix. Narcissa looked slightly panicked that Bellatrix was going to snap on her again but she added in a heated whisper, "I hear voices!"

"Voices?" Narcissa whispered back and instinctively grabbed her wand as Bellatrix did the same. Bellatrix got up and crossed the living room to peer out the dirty window. Not twenty feet away, three Aurors were coming up the pathway, talking amongst themselves, clearly not expecting danger.

Bellatrix looked back at her sister who had come up behind her and saw them too. Narcissa looked at Bellatrix and said, "No."

Bellatrix was grinning madly, "Yes Cissy, someone needs to pay.. Now."

**TBC... **


	3. Don't Play With Your Food

Disclaimer in Chapter One.

CHAPTER THREE

**Don't Play With Your Food**

"Bellatrix listen to me!" Narcissa hissed, pulling on her sister's arm. "If one of them survives they're going to know we're still alive, let's just go!"

Bellatrix shrugged Narcissa off of her arm and said calmly, "There will be no survivors."

The two Aurors could be heard even from inside. "Checking Severus' house for Dark items seems like a waste of time to me," the first one said. The sisters did not recognize either of the two wizards. They probably were not very high ranking.

"Only procedure," the second said as he climbed the stone steps up the walkway. "Even though Potter defeated You-Know-Who, after Dumbledore it _is_ a little far fetched to believe he was on our side."

The other put his hand on the door handle, not at all concerned about what might be waiting for him on the other side and replied, "Well I believe he was, the story seems to fit, I mean–"

He was cut off by a flash of green light hitting him squarely in the chest. He barely heard the words fall from his opponent's lips as his eyes went wide and he fell backwards, hitting the cold wooden floor with a thud.

His partner scrambled for his wand and pointed it at Bellatrix, who's eyes danced with delight to kill again. He looked a mere child, maybe mid twenties on his best day. He looked determined, but frightened none the less.

"Ministry brat," Bellatrix spat, dodging his stunning spell. Narcissa had retreated farther back, clutching her wand but only planning to get involved in she had to. "Barely out of the cradle aren't you?" Bellatrix taunted.

Her favorite part was always taunting and torturing her victims. She liked to have a little fun until her toy had to be broken.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," he said, eyes wide. He probably though he would never have to deal with her, that's what the best Aurors and Hit Wizards were for, though most had perished in the recent battle.

"Look Cissy, I'm famous even among the cubs!" Bellatrix laughed and pointed her wand at the trembling boy in front of her, "CRUCIO!"

The boy hit the floor and dropped his wand before he had time to use a counter spell, and screamed in pain. Bellatrix laughed as he lay there after, breathing heavily. "Wittle baby Auror never had a proper due, did he?" She said in a sneering mock baby voice. Of course she knew that he had, they'd have trained him obviously. Not that it did much good against _her_, though.

Narcissa looked up as she remembered something. There was three of them before. "Bella!" she yelled, panicked.

Bellatrix however was too busy having fun torturing her prey to pay much attention. She used the Cruciatus Curse once more, and the boy's screams echoed off the walls.

"Bella STOP!" Narcissa screamed at her sister and hurried over to her.

Bellatrix looked throughly annoyed and demanded, turning around, _"What?!"_

"There was three of them before, on the path, remember? Then we argued and then... there was just two," Narcissa said, looking at the gasping boy beneath their feet.

Bellatrix either seemed to remember or just trusted her sister's judgement because she turned in a heat of anger and said, "Levicorpus!"

The boy was hung upside down by his ankles and Bellatrix looked at his frightened face as he rotated in mid air. "Where is the other one?!" She shrieked, madly.

"Other one?" The boy managed to get out, feigning confusement.

"CRUCIO!" The boy screamed in pain and Bellatrix went on, "Don't play stupid with me, you filthy Ministry scum! _WHERE IS THE OTHER AUROR?!"_

The boy groaned in pain and breathed, "Oh, _him_..." He took his sweet time replying and Bellatrix growled low in her throat and pressed her wand up against the boys throat. The top glowed red and he screamed as part of his flesh was burned away.

"Alright!" He gasped, clearly having enough. "He's–"

"There!" Screamed Narcissa as she pointed her wand at the other Auror who had just appeared in the doorway. He took in the scene and as Narcissa screamed a curse in his direction, he disapperated, making Narcissa's spell miss him by maybe half an inch.

"We must leave, Bella!" Narcissa screamed, grabbing her sister's arm. "Now!"

Bellatrix was having a hard time parting from her new toy as she burned another mark in the boy's skin.

"Now Bella! More are going to come!" Narcissa pleaded.

Bellatrix stared at her for a minute before turning back to the boy, a look of almost sadness on her face at having to kill him so soon. "Avada Kedavra!" she growled, and the boy's body fell limp to the floor as she laughed, at least trying to feel better about getting to kill another one.

Narcissa grabbed her sister's hand and they disapperated, just as more Aurors and a couple of Hit Wizards apperated to the scene. What awaited them was two dead bodies and the echo of Bellatrix's last cackle, fading into nothing.

They apperated into a living room of what could only be described as oddly tidy. Everything was color coded and nothing seemed to be out of place. It stunk of the elderly.

"Where are we?" Narcissa asked her sister. It had been her that led them this time.

Bellatrix crossed the living room and picked up a trinket of what looked like to be a small ballerina as she sat on the couch. The ballerina started to dance in her hand and she answered, "Godric's Hollow." She popped the head off of the tiny figurine, and now the lower half of it lay motionless in her hand.

Narcissa crossed the livingroom and asked, "Where in Godric's Hollow, exactly?" as she sat next to her sister on a couch that spelled like bad perfume and cats.

"Some old hag friend of Dumbledore's that Vol–" She stopped, still not wanting to speak his name. She knew if she did she would completely lose it. She took a breath and continued, "_He_ killed."

Narcissa nodded and watched as her sister continued to destroy tiny figurines with her bare hands. She was clearly still annoyed that she didn't get to play more, and was taking out her anger on tiny porcelain people.

"If they hag died," Narcissa started, catching a tiny china doll's head and playing with it between her slim finger. "Shouldn't it be for sale now?" She really didn't want another disaster like what just happened. Now people know that they are alive and together, though they might make the assumption that Lucius and Draco were with them, which would keep them safe for awhile longer.

Bellatrix simply shrugged, "If it is we can always torture the realtor." A small smile appeared on her face at that prospect.

Narcissa looked at the table and spotted a book with the title, "The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore." She pushed it off the table, disgusted. The last thing she needed was to look at that name.

"You miss him?" Bellatrix asked, still popping heads off of all the trinkets and watching them twitch before becoming still. Narcissa looked over, clearly surprised. That was that last thing she expected. "Lucius?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes, "No, Dumbledore. Of _course_ Lucius!" She huffed in aggravation. "God, trying to be a sister for once and it gets thrown in my face!"

"No, no Bella. I'm sorry. I was just surprised. You've never..." she didn't finish the sentence but Bellatrix already knew the unspoken words.

"Seemed to care? Figured I'd try it out. But I have to say already it's being a pain in my arse."

Narcissa gave her sister a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I miss him and Draco.. A lot."

"You should have stayed," Bellatrix said coldly as she popped off another head and crumbled it to almost powder in her fist.

"What?"

"You should have stayed. You messed up coming with me, Cissy."

Narcissa looked confused and Bellatrix went on, "Me and you both know you love your precious _Lucius_," she practically spat the last word. "More than you did your own flesh and blood. Why then did you come?"

"Bella we've talked about this..." Narcissa sighed. She was used to Bellatrix doing this, switching moods, changing her mind on an instant, especially recently. All the events prior seemed to have robbed her of more of her sanity. She seemed awfully bipolar now.

"You're hanging onto something that's going in a different direction than you," Bellatrix said, and finally looked at her sister. "Stop it."

"Bella..."

"I said stop it, Cissy!" Bella shrieked, and Narcissa moved an inch back on the couch.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes, looking at the glaring woman across from her. She wasn't going to take this anymore. She stared at Bellatrix and demanded, "STOP taking your anger and grief out on _me_, Bellatrix. I don't deserve it."

The two sisters stared at each other for a long time, and no one spoke. Finally, Bellatrix's glare ceased and she got up and said, "I'm going upstairs."

Narcissa didn't say anything, just took it as she won. Finally. She watched her darker half climb the stairs, and leaned back against the couch, a small smile etched on her face from her victory.

**TBC...**


	4. Severed Bonds

Chapter Four  
**Severed Bonds**

The next morning Bellatrix awoke to a soft heart beat in her ear. She kept her eyes closed for a little while, finding the sound calming. Which was surprising in its self because nothing ever seemed to calm her. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

The house was a one bedroom, so both sisters had to share a bed. Narcissa had come up hours later, thinking Bellatrix was asleep. Bellatrix kept her eyes closed, pretending she was because she was too exhausted to argue. She thought Narcissa would curl up in to a corner with her back facing her, but to her surprise she wrapped her arm around Bellatrix, and let her sleep on her chest. They hadn't done that since they were kids, and it made Bellatrix's raging thoughts cease, finally allowing her to sleep peacefully in the first time in many years.

After opening her eyes, Bellatrix sat up and looked down at Narcissa's sleeping form. She silvery blonde hair was sprawled around her, and her face was almost glowing. She looked like an angel. Which of course, since Bellatrix's mind is always negative, made her think that that made her the demon. She sighed and got out of bed, then stopped.

She could hear voices.

She growled under her breath, this was getting to be annoyingly repetitive. Not that she didn't enjoy torturing and killing people, because she did. Immensely, in fact. But sometimes she just wanted to have a normal day.

Unfortunately, Death Eaters aren't supposed to have normal days. Or at least that's what it was seeming like right now.

Moving back towards her sister and shook her lightly. "Huh, wha?" Narcissa mumbled and she got rudely jerked out of a peaceful dream.

"Shhh," Bellatrix whispered, putting a finger to Narcissa's lips. "Someone's downstairs."

Narcissa sat up, wide awake now. "Who?" She whispered, looking towards the door.

"I don't know, but I'm going to go find out," Bellatrix said softly as she moved to get off the bed.

"Bella please..." Narcissa whispered as she grabbed her arm to stop her. She looked her in the eyes almost pleadingly, "Let's just go."

"Go _where_, Cissy?" Bellatrix shot back in a heated whisper. "We have no where else to go."

"The Shrieking Shack," Narcissa said quietly, thinking out loud.

"I _refuse_ to live in that dung hole, Narcissa." Narcissa didn't say anything, so Bellatrix got up of the bed to go downstairs

"I don't want to lose you, Bella... not again."

It was barely more than a whisper, but it made Bellatrix stop dead like it was screamed. She turned around to see her sister looking like tears were going to fall down her pale cheeks any second. She looked frail, venerable, scared.

"Fine," Bellatrix said, giving up. "Fine, we'll go to that... _hobble_." The word almost stuck in her throat as she said it. She clearly did not want to go there. Though it was nicer than her cell in Azkaban, it wasn't what she held her standards to.

"I hear voices!" came the sound of an underage witch downstairs. "Mum, do you think we have_ ghosts??_" She seemed clearly excited at the prospect.

"I assure you, there are certainly no ghosts residing here!" said one huffy man, and they heard footsteps ascending the stairs.

Narcissa hurried to get up and grab their things. Bellatrix was obviously having some mental debate as her gaze kept flickering at the door, then back at Narcissa. She really wanted to have some fun. But as her hand reached for her wand, Narcissa took it and quickly apperated them from the spot, just as the door opened and a family of four being led by a realtor appeared.

They found themselves in a dusty room. Paper was feeling from the walls and there was stains of God-only-knows-what on the floors. The windows were still boarded up and the furniture would have been mended before they could even use it.

"Lovely," Bellatrix said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"If you have a better idea Bella, please share it with the rest of us," Narcissa retorted, clearly annoyed at the ensure situation, not to mention being woken up like that. But here was better than what could have happened if Bellatrix had went downstairs. No, she probably wouldn't have been caught right away, the whole lot of them would have been dead before they could breathe a word. But they're both wanted already, and she'd rather they not get themselves even higher up on the priorities of the Ministry of Magic.

Bellatrix looked over at her sister, her eyes narrowing. She didn't say anything however, because Narcissa's new found courage could end up getting them into a fight they might never come back from. Knowing her own tempter and Narcissa's will, the smallest thing could probably blow up in their faces.

Bellatrix ran her finger across a broken table, and made a face at the large clump of dust on her finger. "If we're living here, you do realize you're the one cleaning it."

Bellatrix never learned house cleaning spells. She was never interested in being a housewife. Narcissa on the other hand, was the one who forced Bellatrix to play "house" and have "tea parties" as small children so it was in her blood. Why she loves being a mother and a wife.

Narcissa smirked and said, "That's only because you don't know how."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and retorted, "If you ever need to know a hundred and one ways to torture someone, come to me. For cleaning, I come to you. We all have our strengths."

Narcissa smirked and took out her wand, getting to work. Within and hour, the place was sparkling. Tables and chairs were fixed, the floor was clean, the wallpaper was fixed as good as she could and sunlight was shining through the no longer boarded up windows.

The rest of the day went by normally, that was, until dinner time. Halfway through a piece of chicken, Bellatrix almost choked when she say Lucius' patronous coming into the room. Narcissa dropped her knife and stared at it fearfully.

"They've got Draco," The patronous said, sounding like Lucius' panicked voice. "Come home immediately."

The scratching of Narcissa's chair backing up as she stood was almost instant, and she ran to get her wand, her face etched in fear and fury. Her long blonde hair flowed behind her, giving off the impression of an angry veela.

"Cissy wait!" Bellatrix said, standing up.

Narcissa whipped around, angry. "There is no waiting Bella, they've got my son! My only son!"

"You can't just go barging into the Ministry demanding your son back, they'll arrest you!" Bellatrix said, grabbing her sister's arm.

"Better me than him," Narcissa said, shrugging off Bellatrix's hand.

"Cissy don't be _stupid!_"

Narcissa's eyes flashed with fury and she pointed at Bellatrix's face, and inch from her nose. "Don't you _ever_ call me stupid."

Bellatrix was taken aback for a moment, not expecting that at all. But even from her sister, it enraged her to be talked to in that way, "Then stop acting like it!" She yelled, furious.

"Bellatrix I don't leave everyone behind to save my own skin. He's my son, don't you understand that?! Oh no wait, you don't, because you never produced one!"

The slap came from out of no where, and Narcissa held her face, looking shocked. Bellatrix's eyes were like fire, and she was breathing heavily. Narcissa has obviously said something VERY wrong.

"Don't you ever... EVER speak about that again." Her voice was maddingly calm, and Narcissa would swear she could see her eyes glisten underneath the rage.

"Bella..."

Bellatrix turned away from her, "Just go, Narcissa! Get yourself thrown in Azkaban, get yourself killed for all I care, just GET AWAY FROM ME!" Her hand moved to clutch her wand, it and took everything in her power not to murder her own sister on the spot for her vile and personal comment on her not having any children. Narcissa had no idea why it enraged Bellatrix to this extent, Narcissa always thought Bellatrix never had any because she didn't want them. But obviously as she stared at her sister, who was needing her to go before she ended up doing something she'd regret, she saw that she was very, very wrong.

Narcissa knew she upset her beyond any boundaries she had ever crossed before. She touched her shoulder, trying to calm her. But Bellatrix whipped around, pulling out her wand in a flash, and pressed it against Narcissa's throat. "I... said... _go..._" she breathed, trying to fight off her murderous urges.

Narcissa looked at her sister before whispering, "I'm sorry..." with every ounce of sincerity she had in her body. One single tear ran down her cheek as she disapperated, leaving Bellatrix to trash the Shrieking Shack in her anger and sadness.

**TBC...**


	5. Family Matters

Chapter Five

**Family Matters**

The wind howled as the sky grew darker. It had been an hour since Narcissa had left, and after trashing everything in sight, Bellatrix sat on the window sill, her cold stare fixed upon something unseen in the distance. Her face was hard, unmoving, unemotional. She didn't want to feel anymore. She didn't want to think anymore. She just wanted to exist, unrational as it was, for many would think death would be a easier way of being than just existing as a hollow shell. Bellatrix's unnerving fear of death was no doubtably passed on from her Lord, being taught everything she had ever known from him in the first place. The pain in her chest (her heart maybe?) grew larger and she did everything in her power to ignore the growing feeling or disgust, sadness, and guilt all wrapped up in a nice little package in the pit of her stomach.

The cold breeze on her face, enlightened her to the growing wetness on her cheeks. Was she crying? She couldn't feel it. Maybe she didn't want to feel it. Maybe she didn't want to seem like such a weak fool. A child in women's clothing. A child...

The pain in her heart grew to almost agony as her hard gaze fixed on some form of light in the distance. A child. Bellatrix was not motherly. No, she would be a fool to think otherwise. But she was dominant, dedicated, and obsessed with leaving a legacy. Her useless husband, Rodolphus, tried to have her bear a child. She blamed him inwardly, for the attempts were obviously in vain. But she knew it was her, she knew she was the one who could not physically bear the burden of motherhood. She should have known, as girl she was careless and stupid, and if none of those resulted in a pregnancy, of course trying with her husband would not. Her husband, whom she had no love for, whom she only married to satisfy her overbearing mother's wishes. Her true love, her heart, though blackened it may be, belonged to a man who she would never lay eyes on again. Her Lord... her savior...

Bellatrix's fingernails pierced the wood of the window sill, and she closed her eyes, trying to remember how He used to look at her. How He used to make her feel. But her thoughts could not linger on Him, for all she could really think about was Narcissa. Her sister, her only true sister. Andromeda did not count of course, the filthy little blood traitor. But Narcissa, to whom she had always been close to had now left her, forced out by Bellatrix's own anger and pride. Forced out because Bellatrix never shared her infertility with her own blood. It was her own fault, she knew this. But did she accept it? Probably not. She had always been one to blame others for the faults in herself, rather than face that she had done something wrong.

The sky was growing darker still, and Bellatrix looked up into the sky, seeing the moon becoming clearer at each passing minute. She knew she could not leave Narcissa alone in this fight. She couldn't lose her own family left. But her pride kept her rooted to the spot. Narcissa could be in trouble, she could be dead for all she knew, and yet there she stood, doing nothing about it because of her pride.

She knew she had to get up, she had to get going, she needed to help Narcissa, and rescue the brat like they were one of the good guys. Like they were actual human beings, people... she hadn't felt like a person in years. She hadn't felt the bonds of family in years. She had felt mechanical, though passionate at the same time. Not that she could make sense of the blundering rambles that filled her head, but she knew she had to go. Now. Pride... what's left of her pride after He had died? Nothing, there was no pride, there was no cause, there was no gain anymore. There was just life left, as empty and hollow as her's was.

She detached herself from her perch, and fingered her wand delicately. Was she actually going to something for someone else, for no gain for herself? Gain for her family of course, but Narcissa had her own family outside of Bellatrix now. Maybe it made her resentful now that the only man she had ever felt close to in her life had gone. But she knew being selfish was going to steal her sister away from her, and if Narcissa's her only family left, no one was going to take that away from her. No one.

With a loud CRACK she disapperated, leaving the Shrieking Shack in shambles. She appeared in the middle of the Malfoy's living room, finding no time for formalities like ringing the door bell. She had wasted too much time already being selfish and prideful.

"Lucius I refuse to _bide my time_! We do not wait for the opportune moment when _our son_ is involved!" Bellatrix heard. It seemed to be coming from the main hallway, and she felt her feet start moving of its own accord while her brain was still debating on wether or not to interrupt.

"Narcissa we would be nothing more than common fools if we were to barge in the Ministry right now," Lucius said, his voice carrying to Bellatrix's ears.

Her feet were moving faster now, but did she want to go in there? It seemed like she didn't have a choice. She appeared in the doorway, and almost like a magnet, Narcissa's gaze turned to fix on her sister.

She stared at her for a minute, looking like she thought she was hallucinating. "Bella..." she whispered.

Lucius turned, a look of surprise on his face. His eyes narrowed and he spoke to his sister-in-law, "This does not concern you, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix cocked her head and peered at her sister's husband and said in an airy tone, "Actually I think it does, family matters, and what have you."

Lucius stared at her indignantly, "Since when have _you_ shown an interest in family affairs? Since when have you even _acted_ like you belonged to this family?"

Bellatrix looked at her sister once before replying, a smirk adorned her hollow features, "Since now, I suppose."

Narcissa burst into tears, much to the surprise of both Lucius and Bellatrix. She ran over to her sister, embracing her forcefully. "I'm so sorry Bella, I didn't mean to–"

The look on Bellatrix's face was one of shock at first, but she wrapped her arms around her lighter half and said, "It's alright, Cissy, really. Just... stop making my cloak wet. And if you keep crying like this you're going to dry up."

Narcissa let go of her sister, and wiped her tears away with her fingertips. "I'm sorry... just with everything going on... you.. Draco... I'm feeling... like I'm overloaded. I need to stop being silly, I'm sorry."

When Bellatrix looked at her, it wasn't like she was looking at the woman she had grown into be. She was looking more like the innocent eleven year old, scared and venerable, that Bellatrix looked after during their school years. Maybe Narcissa would always be that way to Bellatrix, small and frightened. Maybe it was the way she needed to look at her, to get this done. To be the protector again.

She looked at Lucius, determination setting, "Tell me what happened."

Lucius looked like he was going to argue again, but thought better of it. "I went out for a couple hours to take care of some business, tie up some dodgy ends, you understand." Bellatrix nodded and he continued, "I left Draco here, and instructed him not to leave the house. When I had returned, Draco was gone, and this," he held up a letter in his hand, "Was on the side table in the livingroom."

Bellatrix held out her hand for the letter and Lucius handed it over. She could hear Narcissa still sniffing as she opened the piece of parchment and read what was enclosed.

"_Dear Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy,_

_Due to your involvement in Death Eater activities, and avoidance of the law and Mr. Malfoy's escape from Azkaban prison, we have been forced to take measures of precaution. Your son, Draco Malfoy, is in our custody until the time comes where you both surrender yourselves and allow us to carry out our wizarding laws. _

_We wish for this to be peacefully resolved, which is why we did not enter your house and take you both by force. We are prepared to offer you a deal if you can surrender the whereabouts of more prominent and high ranking Death Eaters. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity, and hope to hear from you. Until then, hope you are well."_

There was a few Ministry officials names scrawled at the bottom of the page, and Bellatrix rolled her eyes, "_'Hope you are well?'_ Always proper, aren't they?" She looked the parchment over again and replied, "More prominent and high ranking Death Eaters?"

"We surmised that means you, Bellatrix. Unfortunately, your sister refuses to comply with that offer." Lucius said, obviously disappointed and slightly furious about the matter.

"Yes, how unfortunate, indeed," Bellatrix replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"They say they want this resolved peacefully, why they didn't take _us_ by force, but yet they took my son by force," Narcissa said, her eyes fixed on the piece of parchment in Bellatrix's hands like she wanted to burn it into ash with just her gaze.

"Yes, the Ministry likes to play that way, I've noticed." Bellatrix shrugged, "But no matter, this is easily fixable."

Narcissa furrowed her brow at her older sister and asked, "How?"

Bellatrix laughed, "Why do you ask such silly questions, Cissy? We murder them all, of course. Then there is no more Ministry to hunt us down."

Lucius looked up at the ceiling, clearly exasperated, "You say it like that's going to be easy. Three against who knows how many. Were you dropped on your head as a child, or were you always this simple minded?"

Bellatrix shot Lucius a look of utmost loathing, and her fingers twitched on her wand. Narcissa put a hand on her sisters shoulder and addressed Lucius, "That was un called for, Dear. She's trying to help."

"And doing so _very_ well," Lucius muttered sarcastically. He shook his head, "Fine, the goal is to kill them all. Now for the minor details." He looked at Bellatrix pointedly, "Any suggestions?" He said it like he couldn't give a rats arse what her suggestions where, because he knew she was so unplanned and so unfocused that she wouldn't be able to come up with any that was good. She was sporadic and lived in the moment.

Bellatrix waved her hand dismissivly, "No no, I came up with the goal, it's your turn to come up with something brilliant."

Lucius sighed and said, "We'll enter by the Floo Network. No doubt they will be watching it, so we need to be prepared. As soon as we get there, wands out, curses fly. Draco will probably be held in Aurors Office or the Courthouse, but I would presume the Aurors office. We'll need to get to Basement Level Two to get him. After that, we leave, how doesn't matter."

"Inspirational," Bellatrix said sarcastically as she picked at her nails like she was bored. "And when, pray tell, are we going to do this?"

"Tomorrow morning," Narcissa answered, deciding for the rest of them. "I will not wait any longer than that."

It was eventually agreed tomorrow morning would do. After a lengthy discussion, the three of them retired to their respected rooms, Bellatrix taking one of the guest ones. She wasn't worried or anxious about the fight tomorrow. In fact, she felt almost peaceful about it. She feared death, yes, but it seemed to be fading during each passing moment she thought about it. What else did she really have to live for anyway? If she dies tomorrow, at least she would have gone out with a bang, and helping her sister regain what is left of her life. But would it be worth it? A day ago Bellatrix would have said no, but now she was starting to feel like she'd lived out her purpose anyway, so she might as well make sure she goes out being remembered, feared, and envied. Not that she was expecting to die, oh no, she knew she was an amazing dueler. But there's always a chance someone would get lucky, and instead of obsessing about it, she accepted it. Though how she would feel about it tomorrow, if she ends up being an inch from death, she doesn't know. She knew it was easier to accept something until it was staring you right in the face. Only time would tell where this would lead.

**TBC...**


	6. Breaking And Entering

Chapter Six

**Breaking And Entering**

Bellatrix awoke with a start out of the dream she was having. She opened her eyes to see her sister hovered above her, her mouth moving but Bellatrix couldn't seem to make out what she was saying due to being half asleep. Narcissa's blonde hair was wild looking and her face was etched in fear and determination, and Bellatrix rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. "What?" She asked, trying to figure out what she was being told.

"Get up, Bella! We need to go!" Narcissa said, he voice raised in exasperation at her sisters apparent laziness.

"I'm up, I'm up, just be quiet for the love of Merlin," Bellatrix mumbled, trying to attempt a glare on her face but only managing a big yawn.

Narcissa removed the covers from Bellatrix's body, and gave a yelp and closed her eyes as she noticed Bellatrix's lack of clothes. "BELLA!" She shrieked, looking away.

"I didn't ask you to take off the covers," Bellatrix said cooly, not at all ashamed as she rose from the bed and proceeded to put on her dress. The black garment was stitched up in odd places, and tight fitting but easy to move in. She had the dress for years, and even now it was still her favorite.

Narcissa still had her eyes covered asked cautiously, "Are you dressed yet?"

Bellatrix did everything in her power to keep herself from rolling her eyes, "Yes, Cissy, it's safe."

Narcissa peeked out from between her fingers to make sure, and seeing Bellatrix dressed she removed her hands from her eyes. "Why weren't you wearing a dressing gown?"

Bellatrix didn't answer. She did not feel the need to express why she did anything of the sort to her sister. Instead she countered, "Weren't you yelling at me to hurry up? Why are you wasting time asking questions about how I sleep?"

Narcissa seemed to remember why she was yelling at Bellatrix in the first place and exclaimed, "Lucius is downstairs waiting! We need to get going if we want this to work!"

When she was complaining about Bellatrix's undressed state, she seemed more normal, more like the sister she knew. Now, back on subject, she looked fearful and worried again. She was wringing her hands together and chewing on something Bellatrix figured was her own tongue. She always had a nasty habit of doing that when she was younger.

"Stop chewing on your tongue, I've told you a million times that one day your going to bite a hole through it," Bellatrix said, narrowing her eyes at her sister before grabbing her wand off the bedside table and proceeding down stairs.

Bellatrix entered the livingroom to be greeted by the face of Lucius, who did not look at all happy with her. "You're late," he said.

"I was sleeping," she replied. "And no one informed me there was a specific time in the morning we were going to do this."

"Regardless," Lucius replied, as his wife entered the room. "We need to get this over with, no son of mine will stay in the hands of the Ministry for long."

He grabbed a bag of Floo Powder from on top of the mantel, and clutched it in his hands. He looked over at Bellatrix, "You will go first. Then I will enter, then Narcissa. You remember, I assume, where we are headed?"

"Basement Level Two," Bellatrix replied, her eyes narrowing, not at all liking how she was being spoken to. "I'm not incompetent."

"Could have fooled me," Lucius replied, and Bellatrix's wand twitched in her hand before Narcissa laid a hand on her shoulder, silently telling her to not do what was running through her head. Which was a shame, because Lucius would look lovely strung atop the mantel.

Lucius handed her the bag of Floo Powder, and she took it, making sure to scratch him with her long jagged fingernails. "Oops," she said innocently as he hand began to bleed and he scowled at her.

He swore under his breath but she ignored it, stepping into the fireplace. She grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and handed the bag to Narcissa. She raised her arm and said loudly, "Ministry of Magic!" She dropped the powder, and was engulfed in green flames.

The minute she was on Ministry property she heard a shriek. Pulling out her wand, she pointed it at the witch who seemed to have dropped her coffee mug on the floor, shattering it. She looked like she was monitoring this particular fireplace, though not very well, as she seemed completely unprepared for any kind of security breach. After all, most people trying to break into the Ministry wouldn't go through the front door, in a matter of speaking. "Avada Kedavra!" she yelled, and the witch dropped lifeless to the floor next to the shattered remains of her mug.

At the next fireplace over, a man was fumbling for his wand. Some of the other security seemed to stare at her, as if wondering if she was a hallucination. After killing one other wizard, however, and after Lucius' appearance a few fireplaces down, they seemed to have regained their senses.

Curses flew in all directions, and thankfully one of Lucius' hit a witch heading off to warn everyone else. Narcissa appeared in a glory of green, her wand out, curses flying almost immediately. Bellatrix ducked as one wizard threw a body binding curse her way,and she snarled, her face contorted with rage. She slid on her knees to get away from it, while pointing out her wand at the man and killing him almost an instant later.

In a matter of minutes all but one was dead. Lucius tried to put the Imperious Curse on him, but it missed him by inches. Furious with Lucius' failure, Bellatrix aimed her wand, her eyes burning with rage, and screamed, "IMPERIO!"

The man stopped dead in his tracks. _You will dispose of these bodies_, Bellatrix ordered,_ and if asked, everything is fine down here. You will go about business as normal._ The man walked off to do just that, and she whipped around at Lucius, "Your fumbling may as well screw up this entire plan! If he had escaped, we all would have been done for."

Lucius' chest was heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Before he could speak however, Narcissa interrupted. "Don't waste time with snipes at each other!" she barked. Bellatrix looked over at her, her eyebrows raised, but said nothing. Narcissa was clearly distraught and angry, but it made her determined. And Bellatrix didn't want to ruin her sister's chances of getting her son back, as much of a brat as he is.

A loud voice rang out in the chamber, "Is everything alright down there? We saw the alarm go off."

The wizard Bellatrix had placed the Imperious Curse on, pressed some sort of button on the wall and replied in a cheery tone, "Yes, fine, nothing to worry about! Tilly just dropped her cup of coffee and the crash startled me. I accidently set off the alarm. I will report as usual."

Bellatrix rubbed her temples, trying to get rid of the forming headache. Lucius spoke, "We still need to go up six floors without being seen. The elevator is out of the question, it's been watched."

Bellatrix stared at him like he was stupid, "The_ elevator _is being watched, the elevator_ shaft_ isn't though, is it? Unless you propose we walk up six flights of stairs and expect not to be noticed."

"And how do you propose we go up the elevator shaft?" Lucius asked, his tongue clicking in his mouth at clear disapproval of the plan.

"We ride on top of it."

But it wasn't Bellatrix who spoke, it was Narcissa, "When we get to Level Two we'll go through the hatch and even if they are watching the elevator, we might be able to get in and out of there in the matter of ten seconds it takes without being seen"

Bellatrix nodded in the direction of her sister and smirked, "See, that's how."

Lucius said narrowed his eyes but replied, "Fine, let's go. Quickly." He turned, sweeping his long cloak behind him like he was some kind of super hero and strutted out. Bellatrix had to bite her lip to either keep from laughing or gagging, she wasn't sure. In any case, Narcissa followed him, and her after. When they opened the door a witch turned but before she could issue a scream, she was lying motionless on the floor. Hurrying to the elevator, they killed one more stray before getting to the metal doors.

"Alohomora," Lucius said, pointing his wand at the control panel on the side. To Bellatrix's surprise, it had actually worked. The doors slid open and Bellatrix peered down the shaft at the empty abyss below. She could hear the distant rumbling down below.

"When it comes up, we jump on it, understood?" Bellatrix said, looking at the other two. The rumbling became louder and she could see the top of it now, though distantly. "JUMP!" She yelled as it came closer. She sprung away from the edge, landing on top of the elevator in a heap. Narcissa ended up landing on top of her ("OW! CISSY!") and Lucius would have fallen off the edge if Narcissa hadn't grabbed a hold of his harm.

"_Great_ plan," Lucius muttered sarcastically as he pulled himself up to sit upright. But Bellatrix wasn't listening, she was too busy counting floors.

Narcissa looked over at her sister, who said as they stopped at one floor, "Next floor, we go down the hatch. Get ready." They all barely had time to compose themselves before Bellatrix opened up the hatch as the elevator started moving again, and jumped down, actually landing on a wizard. In moments he was dead, however. And as Narcissa jumped down, quickly followed by Lucius, the only other person in there, a witch, was dead as well.

"Transfigure their bodies, quickly!" Bellatrix hissed as a little 'ding' echoed through the small space, indicating the right floor.

Narcissa pointed her wand at each body in turn, making them appear like bits of trash. The large silver doors opened as they reached their destination, and instead of seeing a stretch of open space, they were greeted by six Aurors, all pointing their wands at them.

"Oh sh–" Bellatrix started to say as she in turn pointed her wand at the Aurors, but the rest of her words were drowned out by Draco, being held in the back by two other Aurors, yelling, "MUM!"

**TBC...**

_**A/N: **__I know this chapter didn't have really cool action scenes, but the next chapter will. After all, only Aurors can hold their own against Death Eaters, the rest are just dead meat xD. Please R&R, there will only be one or two chapters left after this one._


	7. Falling With Grace

Chapter Seven

**Falling With Grace**

Bellatrix's dark eyes took in the scene. Eight Aurors against three Death Eaters. Not bad odds, she thought to herself as she smirked. No one said anything for what seemed like forever. They just stood there, dark against light, determination on each of their faces with their wands pointed to the opposing party.

"You were foolish to come here like this," one Auror said, who had his wand pointed at Lucius as he spoke. "We offered to resolve this peacefully."

"By trying to have us give up my own sister!" Narcissa shrieked, looking around at them madly.

The Auror gave her a look of satisfaction as his eyes flickered over to Bellatrix, "Which you have seemed to have done anyway, though in the process condemning yourselves as well."

Bellatrix snorted as her eyes flashed, "You speak like you've already won, you foolish man."

He looked around mockingly, "Seeing as there are eight of us, and three of you who are currently still backed into the elevator, I'd have to say we have."

"You've only won when we're dead, which seeing as we're standing around having this lovely conversation, I'd have to say you haven't won yet after all," Bellatrix shot back, in the same mocking fashion that he used on her. Her eyes were flashing and she wanted nothing more than to just kill them all where they stood, but she mustered up all the self restraint she had inside of her to not make a move. Not yet. It was hard, seeing as the monster inside of her was screaming to be let loose.

"Your deaths can be arranged," He said cooly. "Unless you come quietly, then you have a chance to live."

Bellatrix felt her sister brush her hand lightly across hers, and she knew it was time to let loose and have some real fun. "You know," Bellatrix replied, "Somehow I don't think that's going to happen."

It happened in a matter of ten seconds. All three of them shot their killing curses at the first three Aurors in front. They fell back onto the second line, causing a mass of confusion. As they ran out of the elevator to no longer give the Aurors the advantage of having them cornered, Bellatrix was hit with a Stunning Spell in the back, sending her flying against the far wall. Face contorting in rage, she lifted her head up, sending her mass of dark hair flying around her face as her eyes burned in fury. "CRUCIO!" She screamed at the Auror who had hit her, though he ducked behind a statue of a unicorn, making her spell shatter it upon contact. The golden pieces showered down on the surrounding people as Bellatrix ran behind a corner and growled.

A curse flew in her direction, but missed her by maybe a hair. She laughed at the Auror who had cast it, for her sister had just used Sectumsempra on him, and now he was nothing more than a bloody mess on the floor below her feet. She saw Lucius dueling with two Aurors in the corner, as the Auror who held Draco back ran with him into another room. Bellatrix stepped over the bloody wizard below her, and began to cast her curse. Before she could however, her sister was thrown back, knocking into Bellatrix and sending them both sprawling.

As Narcissa gasped for breath, Bellatrix threw her body over her, pointing her wand at the closest Auror and screaming "Avada Kedavra!" He dodged it, and she screamed in fury. As he raised his wand to deliver another curse in her direction, she tried again, yelling "Sectumsempra!". His arm was severed off, and he dropped to the ground and screamed in pain.

"Finish him, Cissy!" Bellatrix screamed as she stood up. Her eyes darted over to Lucius, who was now backed against a wall. She heard Narcissa murder the fallen Auror and her eyes flickered to another heavy statue in the corner. She pointed her wand at it and used Wingardium Leviosa to levitate it, and aimed carefully as she threw it at the head of one of the two Aurors who were close to defeating Lucius. It smashed into his temple and he fell to the ground, though not after using a stunning spell so powerful it had knocked Lucius unconscious. The other Auror was momentarily distracted enough from the blow for Narcissa to stun him, making him fall next to his coworker. The two stirred, but then laid still.

Narcissa was already running over to the room that held Draco and the last Auror. Lucius was lying on the ground, stirring slightly but not yet waking, and while Bellatrix thought it foolish to leave the other two Aurors still alive, she didn't want her sister going in there alone. She ran after her blonde counterpart, and burst in the door right behind her. The Auror had his wand to Draco's throat and Narcissa stopped dead.

"Move, and he dies." The Auror said, clearly not caring what Ministry procedure was anymore after watching his friends and coworkers being defeated like that.

Draco looked scared, and couldn't seem to utter a word. Narcissa looked scared too, though her eyes still flashed with anger, "Leave him, just take me."

"No deal, we take_ all_ of you."

Bellatrix tried to suppress a laugh. "All of us? Good luck with that one."

Narcissa didn't look at her sister but said quietly, "Bella... he's my son..."

"You're not going to lose him, Cissy. It's us two against that pathetic excuse of a man, think about it." Bellatrix sneered, flashing the wizard her teeth. He pressed the wand harder against Draco's throat, making him cry out.

"Stop Bellatrix! For once quiet your mouth!" Narcissa screamed, frantic.

Bellatrix didn't say anything, but pushed her sister out of the way to advance on the man. But then the world seemed to slow down as she heard a cry from behind her. Whipping around, she saw a wave of silver blonde hair fall gracefully to the ground. Narcissa lay there, unmoving. Her eyes stared up at her sister, but they didn't blink. She wasn't breathing. Behind her, the Auror she had hit with the statue stood there, blood running down the side of his face, staring at her. Bellatrix knew, she knew that he meant to have hit her. But she moved and...

The world fast forwarded. Lucius was screaming, and Bellatrix found herself screaming. They murdered... they... she couldn't even say it in her head. She knew what had happened. Draco was screaming for his mother over and over, and Bellatrix just saw black. She didn't know what was going on, all she knew was that everyone in the room needed to die.

Bellatrix didn't know who she killed, or what she destroyed, or how she ended up back at Manor, with Draco holding one of her hand as she side along apperated him back home, and a firm hand holding Narcissa, because she refused to leave her there.

She had no idea what had happened to Lucius, if he had died or had been captured. She couldn't remember anything after Narcissa falling. Nothing mattered after Narcissa fell... nothing. She could hear Draco crying, but it sounded far away, like a dream. She couldn't look down, she couldn't see her sister in the state that she was. But her hand refused to let go from the hold on Narcissa, even as she felt her grow colder. She had passed from her rage into shock. She couldn't move, she could barely even breath. She knew she was crying, she could feel the tears run down her cheeks like ice. She just stared at the picture above the mantel, of her sister with her family. Smiling, happy, hugging her son as she beamed at the camera.

Her knees collapsed and she hit the floor. She couldn't feel it, though did it matter? Did anything matter anymore? She forced herself to look at her sister, lying next to her. Her eyes were still open, and Draco was holding her body as his own racked with his grief. She couldn't feel her arm move, but she saw it. Her hand reached forward to close Narcissa's eyes and as she did she felt jolted back into reality.

It was her fault her Narcissa had died. It should have been her. It was supposed to have been her. She looked over at Draco, and had no idea what she was supposed to do. She had to make this right... somehow. No spell can reawaken the dead, no, she was sure of that. But there was one thing her Master had mentioned while on his search for the elder wand. But finding it would be hard. Her head was swimming with thoughts, and her heart was heavy with grief. She wanted to kill someone, anyone, everyone, but she couldn't move. She just sat there, staring at her sister, wishing she could reverse time and make everything right again. The world was going to pay for this. If it was the last thing she ever did, she would make the world pay for stealing away Narcissa's life.

**The End.**

_**A/N:**__ I know, I'm HORRIBLE xD But I'm thinking of writing a sequel, where she goes on a search for the Resurrection Stone. Thoughts?_


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